Packing machine



Sept. 14, 1937. R. 5. J. NORDQUIST El AL 2,092,773

. v PACKING uncanw I Filed Aug. 8, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet).

@rz I '1 7 z: I

)9. ATTORNEYS I Sept. 14, 1937.

R. E. J. NORDQUISTET AL 2,092,773

PACKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. 5.1. QNORDOUIST ET AL 2,092,773'

I Sept. '14, 1937.

PACKING MACHINE Filed 'Aug. 8, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PM Sept. 14,1937

UNITED s'r Tns rncmcmcnmn 1 man. nuuinumminnmiaurmk, llaplcIood, to American Gan Gunpony, Ne; fork, Nu Jersey Application 8, 1935, No.vv 35,4

The present invention relates to a machine tor packing severable solid or substantially solid products and has particular reference to devices for cutting the product into predetermined shapes 5 otsmallerdimensionaudforinsertingthecut partsinan assemhledunitof theoriginalshape or the uncut product into cans or containers.

An object of the invention is the provision of,

a novel machine for packing solid or substan tiallysolid products into containers,wherein preoftheproductofa'size and shape consponding to the size and shape of thecontainerintowhichtheyaretobepacked arereeeivedandarecutintoapluralityofindition,thefllledcansbeingdischargedintimed orderreadyforsealing.

Anotherobjectisthepmvision'ofsuchama- ,ohinewhereinthepmdmnnitsandemptybottunedcansarecarriedinatialalignmmtandin on hiclinedposiflmjn parallel conveyors, the unitsheingcutandmsertedinto thecansami theiilledcansbeingrotaiedmtoannprightposiproperly dmnlinneomiiththecuflingmsertingthnnintothednwlngs: mm'elisanmdviewoiamachineunhodyrmzisnsueeienumnnnemnehmnm wn,

*inllgLwifllpnItsllQmamahddmwhih m3and4arefngmemaryseclimalvim vidual portions simultaneously with the filling or taken substantially along the lines 3-: and 4-1, respectively, in Fig. 1; and

substantially along the line 55 in Fig. 4. A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings in a'machine especially adapted for the packing of pineapples into cans. The fruit is preferably received in the machine in prepared units aghaving its central core removed, its body pared or trimmed into a cylindrical shape and its ends trimmed oif flat so that it will readily it into and substantially fill a cylindrical can. The preparing of thefruit "units for packing forms no part of the instant invention and is performed in any suitable manner before they enter the machine.

The fruit cylinder or unit is carried through .the machine in time with'and in ariial alignment with the open end of'an empty can 1) into which it is to be packed, a spider shaped or radial cutter element being interposed therebetween. Dining its travel the fruit unit is pushed endwise,'or along its longitudinal'axis, through the cutter and into the can on the opposite side thereof. This action cuts or divides the limitunit into a plurality of longitudinal segmentalsin'ipsorfingeiswhileatthesametlme' insertingthemintnthecan. 'Iliustheunitis rapidly andemnientlycut and simultaneously insertedintothe can as'auniformly divided whole nnilhoceupyingnomorespaeeinthecanthan unitamhavingtheadditienal ieaimeostreadyremovalofindividualportio offliemtasrequim.

Thefimitcyhnders'aandanptymns bsimnlianeunsly emerthe machineiromany suitable separaiesmn-cesofsupplyhynyotcnrvedand inclinedmnwaysgenerallyindicatedhythe'charaeters Ill, I2, respectively (Figs. 1 and 2).

Thecanrnnway iloomprisestopaudbottom plates |3onwhichthemnsrollinacontinuonsprocession andside guide plates ,whichretain them in longitudinal alignment. endoftheseplatesaresecuredtotheinsidewalls otafoursidedhnllowbraeket liwhichisholted ,tothetopotahonslngliformedasapm-tot amain'h'ame-I'I.

, 'lheho'nsing liandaslmllarhousing "spaced aportandmposltethemhomandalooformedm themainframeflsnmortsrnnstotfthemovhig madmieperts. 'lhesehmslngsextendnptrom thetcpofthei'rlmeatlfl a tlnzlefmmthe ,vu-flcalsoastoimpartadgreeof angnlar-ity tothemaehinepartsmrriedtherebyandto he fruituniisandcanstm inserflngtheformerinto thelatteraswillheexplainedasthedescripflon 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken The machine 'lhefruitcylinderrunwayllissimilartothe canrunwayllandcmnmisestopandbottom. phtesllonnyhichthefruitcylindersmllin'a continuous breeetsientiia see time eaten for retaining them in line. The machineend of four sided hollow'bracket 28 which is bolted to a side of a spacer block 24. Thisblock is in turn bolted to a side of 2'1" The lower or machine end ofthecan runway and Journaled in bearings 8|, 82 formed in the.

opposed housings l8, l8 respectively. This shaft is continuously rotatedqin any suitable manner.

Similarly, the lower end. ofthe-fruit cylinder rimway ll terminatesdirectly above a fruit unit feed turret 84 (Fig. 2) which is keyed to the driving shaft 28 adjacent the can feed turret 21, but, is spaced apart from the latter. Thus the turrets rotate together in unison. 1 Y

The machine end of the runways 12, H serve I as magazines for holding the cans and fruit cylinand fruit unitresting on the peripheries of the reders in stack formation with'the' lowermost can spective turrets and are thus individually removed from the magazines by .the turrets. For this purpose the can feed turret 21 is formed with,

apluralityof radiallyspaced can pockets 8?, and

similarly, thefruit unit feed turret is provided with an equal number of radially spaced pockets 88, which are in direct axial alignment with the can pockets.

Rotation of the spaced parallel and concentric turrets 21, 34 causes their respective pockets to receive or pick off the lowermost can and its corresponding fruit unit. The pocketed fruit unit is now directlyin front of and in axial, alignment with the open mouth of the can into which it is to be packed. I

As the can and fruit unit are carried around the axis of the turrets, a plunger head 4| is moved into engagement with the-fiat end ofthe fruit unit and pushes it toward the can. There are a plurality of these plunger heads, onefor each pocket 'in the fruit .unit turret 34, and positioned in axial alignment with each pocket.

Each plunger head 4| is formed on the forward reduced diameter end of a stem 42 which is carried in a sleeve bearing 48. The several sleeve bearings integrally connect with an annular disc 44 and an annular ring 45 which disc and ring together constitute a rotatable frame 40. One end of the frame 4|l'is supported by the disc 44, which at its center is provided with a hub 48. The hub is keyed to the drive shaft 28 adjacent the fruit unit turret 84 and is-rotated therewith.

Theother endof the frame 48 issupported by the ring 48 which "rests on an annular seat or shoulder .48 formed in a, collar .48. ,Thering is bolted to this collar by bolts II. The collar rotates in an annularv scat" formed adJa'cent one "endfof and in theperiphery of' a stationary substantially horizontally i disposed 'barrel cam 53.

' one endflange fof t e (is holtedas at so to the inner face lt hous ns "ril Qthe yisformed with'abe'drlnil II which, surrounds the im "th n3 1mgme isc stness the I g hartintennediate its' bearings 31,1323 It isthis em whi hi avesjthaiiilu serjh sd"Q1! in o n- 'gagementwiththefruit uniths'mention dabove. 70

Mean Pharisees M dered stud 58 which is carried in a bore 88 formed in the plunger stem 42 and is held in place by a.

nut".

this nut with the roller. In a diametrically op- -,posite side ofthe sleeve bearing a similar slot 88 confines and guides a cylindrical roller 84 mounted on the stud 88 above the cam roller in order [,toprevent the plunger stem from rotating in its bearing.

Forward movement of the plunger head 4| into engagement with a fruit unit pocketed in its turindicated by the character 88. The cutter is disposed in axial alignment in front of the open end a slot fl'formed in the top of the sleeve x bearing 48' provides clearance for the travel of these plates is secured to the inside walls of a ofthe can b, in the space between the parallel turrets and it is this cutter which cuts the fruit cylinder into longitudinal segments or fingers as it is inserted into the can.

There are a plurality of these cutters 88, one for each can pocket of the can turret 21. Each cutter comprises a central cylindrical core ll (Figs. 1 and 2) into the sides of which theinner edges of a plurality of radial cutting blades 12 are preferably welded or otherwise permanently secured in place and uniformly spaced apart. The outer edges of these cutting blades are similarly secured in grooves 18 formed in the inner wall of an annular ring 14 which defines a circular opening of sufficient diameter to permit passage of the fruit unit and which is formed in a cutter carrier disc or frame '15. The disc 15 is interposed between the parallel turrets 21, 84 and is keyed to the drive .shaft 28 so that cutter disc and the turrets rotate in unison.

The plunger head 4| (Fig. 3) pushing'against the fruit unit it forces it through the cutter 88.

and fully seats the cut unit into the waiting can when it is received as a radially cut cylindrical unit. In this travel the core of the fruit cylinder passes over the cutter core ll without impeding its movement. For this purpose the plunger head 4| is provided with a center bore 18 (Fig. 4) which provides clearance for the cutter during the clockwise travel of the cans and units from the time they are picked up from the runways until they reach a diametrically opposite point at the bottom of the turrets. During this travel the can is held in its turret pocket by a guide rail 18 (Fig. 1) which curves around the can turret adjacent its periphery. This guide rail is an extension of the bottom runway plate I 8. The can is held endwise in its pocket by a curved plate 81' which is secured to the'inner face of the housing It (Figs. 3 and 4 and indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. l)

and plate 8| terminates and the filled can is here.

delivered from its turret pocket 81 into a can timing and uprighting mechanism. The filled "can, still in an inclined position, is delivered on Atthe bottom of the turrets, the guide rail 1:-

top of a horizontal helical timing screw '88 (Figs.

1, 2 and 4) which engages the side of thecan body adjacent-its open end. The screw is keyed 1 to a horizontal shaft 84, journaled at its ends in bearings which are bolted to the top of-the main frame II. This shaft is continuously ro- -tated by any suitable means in time with the other moving parts 'of the machine.

The closed bottom end of the can b when delivend of which is secured to the housing i6 adjacent the terminal end of the guide plate 8|. These rails form a can supporting extension of the plate ii. The guide rails extend the full length of the timing screw adjacent thereto straightening out in a horizontal position at the end of the screw. By this construction a can delivered onto the screw is carried away from its position asreceived from the turret pocket into an upright. position resting on its closed bottom. By the time the can reaches the end of the timing screw it is in full uprightposition and may then be delivered onto a continuously moving endless discharge belt as (Figs. land 2) which conveys it to any suitable place of deposit, or otherwise disposed of. The machine end of the belt 89 operates over an idler pulley M which is mounted on a short shaft 92 carried in bearings formed in the main frame II. The belt is moved in any suitable manner to convey the filled cans away from the machine in the timed relation in which they are received from the timing screw. It should be readily understood that while the preferred embodiment of the invention herein described and disclosed is especially adapted for the packaging of pineapple the principle of the invention has ready application toa variety of other machines and other products, and the appended claims have been drawn with this broader scope in mind but also mindful of the prior art.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from .the foregoing description. and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in'the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described be-' ing merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. A machine for packing solid or substantially solid products, in combination, a rotatable support for an empty open end shipping container,

rotatable means for supporting the product to be packed therein adjacent its open end, cutting elements disposed between said product and the said container, and instrumentalities for transferring said product from its supporting means through said cutting elements and into the con-- tainer, whereby the product is cut ,intodivisionssimultaneously with its insertion into the shipping container. w

2. A machine for packing solid or. substantially solid products. in combination, a rotatable. container turret having a pocket for receiving an .empty open end container, a product turret rotatable in time with said container turret and trainer for cutting it into divisions as it is inserted into the container.

3.. A machine for or substantially solid products, in combination. a rotatable eontainer turret having apocket for receiving an empty openend container, a product turret rotatable with said container turret andv having. a

pocket for carrying-a unitof the product in axial alignment with the container adiscentits open end, cutting elements disposed between said turrets and movable in unison with them, and instrumentalities located in axial alignment with saidturretpocketsandwithsaidcuttingelements and movable in unison therewith for pushing the product unit endwise from its pocket through said cutting elements and into the con tainer for cutting the product unit longitmiinally simultaneously with its insertion into the container.

4. A machine for packing solid or substantially solid products, in combination, a conveyor fol-an empty open end container, a conveyor parallel with said first conveyor for feeding a unit of the product to be packed in said container in alignment therewith. cutting elements dlspnled between said conveyors, transfer for the product unit, for moving the product unit through said cutting elements and thence into the container for dividing the product unit' into separate portions while it is being inseted into thecontainen. 7

5. A machine for'packing solid'or sfllstsntially solid products. in combination, menu for supporting an empty open end cohtainer at an angle to its upright position. means for supporting a unit of the product to be packed in said container adjacent its open end,.eutting elements adjacent. said supported product unit, instrumentalities for moving the productunit from its support into the container the while said-product is divided by said'cutting elements into separate portions, and means for moving the iilled tainer, instmmentalities for movlngthe product 7. A'machine forpaekingsolidorsuhstantisiiy solid products, in combination. a container msgazine for empty open end containers, a

product .magasine forimitsoftheps'oducttobefilledinto thecontaineraapairofrotstsbletm'retslmving axiallyalignedpoche'tsforreceivlnsacontalner from itsm'agasine andaimitoftheproduetflom,

1 alignment with the container adjacent its wen end, cutting elements disposed between said turrets and movable and I ties movable in unison with said'turret pochets and said cutting elements and located in axial unit e'ndwisethroughsaid-cuttimelementlmto said container, the while dividhg d mitt il'lo longitudinal portions. o

. RONALD I. J.

maximum-1: max. 7 

